International patent application WO-2005120808-A1 filed by Bastioli and Novamont, describing a method to produce biodegradable films with enhanced mechanical strength.
On June 8, 2005, the international patent application WO-2005120808-A1 was formally filed, describing a process for producing biodegradable plastic films with improved mechanical properties through a combination of bubble-blowing and subsequent cold stretching. Catia Bastioli was named as an inventor on the application, with Novamont S.p.A. as the assignee.
This filing represented the formalization, under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), of research whose priority had been established a year earlier. International filings such as this allowed Novamont to pursue patent protection across multiple jurisdictions, reflecting the company's strategic ambition to commercialize biodegradable film technology globally, not just within Italy or Europe.
The technology addressed a key barrier facing early bioplastics: achieving film properties, such as elongation, tear resistance, and puncture resistance, comparable to conventional polyethylene films used in packaging and agriculture. By improving these mechanical characteristics while preserving biodegradability, Bastioli's work helped open new commercial markets for compostable films, an important step in reducing dependence on persistent petroleum-based plastic films in applications such as shopping bags, mulch films, and food packaging.